Because of their Chinese ethnicity, the Nung were not considered to be Vietnamese citizens. Therefore, they could not be conscripted into the South Vietnamese army (ARVN). So, they hired themselves out as mercenaries, guns for hire, to the US military. Half-body image of Nung mercenary CIDG soldier carrying rifle over his right shoulder and a full backpack. His uniform is tiger camouflage. Two other Nung soldiers in background, both with packs. One has ammunition box. CIDG = Civilian Irregular Defence Group.nung, battle of ngok tavak, indigenous, cidg, mercenary

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection A colour photograph of a member of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) supervising the traning of Chinese (Nung) Mercanaries at the Mike Force Training Area, Marble Mountain, Danang, 2 Corps region of South Vietnam.photograph, aattv, chinese nung mercenaries, marble mountain, 2 corps, mike force, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war, australian army training team vietnam (aattv), mike force training area, danang

Captain John E D White, Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV) took over command of 11 Mobile Strike Force (Mike Force) Company in Da Nang, Vietnam, in February 1968. He was 26 years old. The 2 NVA Division was moving from Laos into South Vietnam and his mission was to establish contact with the division and trace its movements south. In mid-March the company was air lifted to the Special Forces camp of Kham Duc, near the Laotian border. They used an old French Foreign Legion fort as a temporary base from which patrols could be sent out. White called it Ngok Tavak after a nearby mountain. Initially, patrols failed to find the enemy, but in late April a patrol clashed with the enemy. At the same time, White received intelligence that the NVA division was closing in. At night they could hear explosions in the distance heading toward them. White decided their best chance was to leave the fort and take to the jungle to adopt guerrilla tactics. However, in the meantime a platoon of United States Marine Corps artillery arrived bringing with them two howitzers and a stockpile of ammunition. To abandon the fort was to abandon the guns. White contacted Da Nang, explaining the predicament, and was ordered to remain where he was. A Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) platoon was sent to reinforce his numbers. This was a para military force comprised mainly of indigenous highlanders, trained by United States Special Forces. They also brought with them two mortars and their crews. At 3.15am on 10 May 1968 some members of the CIDG chose to assist the NVA to attack the fort instead of supporting Mike Force, and close hand to hand fighting followed, along with grenade attacks and heavy machine gun fire. Air support offered a brief respite from the NVA attack, and some NVA forces were pushed back outside the perimeter by counter attacks, but at 9am White contacted Da Nang to advise that his position was untenable. A second attack was imminent and they could not withstand it, so they would have to withdraw. The wounded were evacuated by helicopter (under orders from Major Mai, the NVA had not attacked the previous medical helicopters that collected the wounded under the cover of air strikes) and at 1pm the rest of the force evacuated east, into the jungle. The NVA did not notice their withdrawal, and continued mortar attacks on the fort for another ninety minutes. Seven kilometres from the fort White called for a helicopter withdrawal of his forces. The force was successfully lifted to Kham Duc and then Da Nang. (Credit AWM)Black framed glass covered flag. Red material with gold fringe, gold writing with Blackbird in the centre with parachute holding 2 white swords standing on a gold star. 11Co. in gold underneath. Gold plaque mounted under the flag.GUIDON OF 11 COY (NUNG) MOBILE STRIKE FORCE (MIKE FORCE) /5th SF GROUP, 1 CORPS, SVN/ A Significant number of AATTV personnel served with this Nung Company based in Da Nang./ At the end of the Vietnam War, this flag was taken by a former US SF officer and held until/ when it was given to former Captain John "Jed" White (AATTV), CO 11 Coy (Nung), who led/ the MIKE Forces at the Battle of Ngok Tavak on 10 May 1968.battle of ngok tavak, mobile strike force, nung, john white

Colour image of inside fortified battle area at Ngok Tavak showing tents in trench and two indigenous soldiers beside a sandbag mortar pit created for two 105mm guns. Jungle & mountains in background.battle of ngok tavak, mortar pit, nung, john white, ngok tavak, vietnam

In May 1968, in the western jungle of Vietnam near Laos, led by Australian Captain J White, 11th Mobile Strike Force Company (MSF) occupied an old French fort on a hill named Ngok Tavak tasked with improving allied intelligence-gathering capabilities in the area. However, with enemy activity increasing, on May 4th, 44 US Marines, 35 CIDG (Civilian Irregular Defence Group) and two 105mm Howitzer field guns arrived as reinforcement from the Special Forces base at Kham Duc. By May 9th, Captain White’s company numbered about 200 men. Although in a good defensive position, coming towards them was the Iron Brigade of the 2nd Division of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). At 03:00 on May 10th, the attack on Ngok Tavak began. The NVA, led by Major Dang Ngoc Mai, poured through the entrance at the eastern wall quickly occupying most of the fort. By midday the next day, Captain White had lost 40 Nung soldiers and 11 Marines with over 70 others badly wounded. Realising he could not withstand another attack, Captain White decided to abandon Ngok Tavak. Once the wounded were evacuated, Captain White ordered strike aircraft to blast a ‘corridor’ through the surrounding enemy cordon using napalm. By early afternoon, what remained of the defenders escaped through the ‘corridor’ and helicopters eventually flew them to Kham Duc. Colour image of edge of Ngok Tavak fort with soldiers sitting on & walking around sand-bagged foxholes. Jungle & mountains in background.battle of ngok tavak, john white

In May 1968, in the western jungle of Vietnam near Laos, led by Australian Captain J White, 11th Mobile Strike Force Company (MSF) occupied an old French fort on a hill named Ngok Tavak tasked with improving allied intelligence-gathering capabilities in the area. However, with enemy activity increasing, on May 4th, 44 US Marines, 35 CIDG (Civilian Irregular Defence Group) and two 105mm Howitzer field guns arrived as reinforcement from the Special Forces base at Kham Duc. By May 9th, Captain White’s company numbered about 200 men. Although in a good defensive position, coming towards them was the Iron Brigade of the 2nd Division of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). At 03:00 on May 10th, the attack on Ngok Tavak began. The NVA, led by Major Dang Ngoc Mai, poured through the entrance at the eastern wall quickly occupying most of the fort. By midday the next day, Captain White had lost 40 Nung soldiers and 11 Marines with over 70 others badly wounded. Realising he could not withstand another attack, Captain White decided to abandon Ngok Tavak. Once the wounded were evacuated, Captain White ordered strike aircraft to blast a ‘corridor’ through the surrounding enemy cordon using napalm. By early afternoon, what remained of the defenders escaped through the ‘corridor’ and helicopters eventually flew them to Kham Duc. Colour image of U.S. soldiers disembarking from a helicopter in a clearing in the jungle. Foreground is rear of two soldiers watching. Background is mountains.united states - marine corps, battle of ngok tavak, john white, ngok tavak